With a population of about 30,000, Corner Brook is the largest city in Western Newfoundland and the second largest city in the province. It’s an important regional centre, but before I visited, I didn’t really think of it as a tourist destination.
To the people of Corner Brook… I apologize. I was wrong. In a lot of ways, Corner Brook reminded me of some of my favourite outdoorsy towns in BC like Revelstoke or Port McNeill. It’s a young town with a resource focus, but the reason locals love it so much because of the incredible access to nature just outside of town.
Even though I only spent a few days in the Corner Brook area, I was constantly surprised at how beautiful it was. The Bay of Islands region in particular was stunning. I did lots of hiking (of course) but I also ate great food.
Since I haven’t seen everything the town has to offer, I also had my husband and some travel friends help me put together this guide to things to do in Corner Brook. It includes:
- Corner Brook Basics: How to get there? How long to spend? Best time to go?
- A Map of Corner Brook that includes all of the places I mention in this post.
- Best things to do in Corner Brook: Viewpoints, hiking, history, extreme sports, and more.
- Where to eat in Corner Brook: My picks for the best restaurants and cafes.
- Where to stay in Corner Brook including my pick for the coolest hotel in Newfoundland.
This is a sensitive wilderness area. Learn how to Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness wild. Make sure you are prepared by bringing the 10 Essentials. Get ready for adventure with this checklist of things to do before every hike.
Hey there: Thanks so much to Go Western Newfoundland for hosting my friends and I during my trip to Corner Brook. All opinions are my own and my husband’s experiences were not hosted. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support. -Taryn
Corner Brook Basics
How to Get There
Getting to Corner Brook is fairly easy. It’s a quick 40-minute drive from nearby Deer Lake, which has a regional airport. You can fly directly to Deer Lake from Montreal, Halifax, Toronto, and other Canadian cities. You can also fly to Deer Lake from St. John’s, which is what I did.
It’s also possible to get to Corner Brook by road. You can drive there from St. John’s in about 7 hours. But of course, I recommend turning it into a Newfoundland road trip and stopping at lots of cute towns like Trinity, Bonavista, Twillingate, and Fogo Island.
There is also a bus service from St. John’s that stops in Deer Lake and Corner Brook.
If you’re coming from Nova Scotia, you can take the Marine Atlantic ferry to Port aux Basques. The sailing takes about 7 hours. It’s 2.5 drive from Port aux Basques to Corner Brook. On my first trip to Newfoundland, I took the overnight ferry since I was living in Halifax at the time and had my car with me.
Getting Around
While there are a few things to see in the centre of Corner Brook, you’ll want a car to explore the surrounding area. Deer Lake Airport is the easiest place to rent a car. I use Rentalcars.com since it lets me compare prices between car rental companies.
However, it is possible to get around Corner Brook on public transit or taxis. If you want to go hiking outside the city, I recommend booking a tour with Everoutdoor Adventures – they can get you to the trailhead.
How Long to Spend
I recommend spending at least one night in Corner Brook. That will give you enough time to see the main sights. But if you love the outdoors, you’ll want two or three days.
Best Time to Go
I’ve heard that Corner Brook is gorgeous year-round. The winter photos look gorgeous and locals raved to me about skiing and snowshoeing. But most visitors will have the best experience between late May and early mid-September. That’s when the weather is the nicest and when most tourist businesses are open.
Weather
Like the rest of Newfoundland, the western part of the province is never that warm. However, in June, July, and August the average high temperature in Corner Brook is 22°C – a bit higher than other parts of Newfoundland!
The Blow Me Down Mountains are just outside of Corner Brook, which should give you a hint that it’s often windy here. As well, rain storms are common in every month. Bring warm clothing and a rain jacket, just in case.
Map of Corner Brook
To help you find your way around, I made this custom Google Map of Corner Brook for you. It includes every single place I mention in this post.
Best Things to Do in Corner Brook
Corner Brook Stream Trail
When I was visiting, I caught up with an old friend from university who has lived in Corner Brook for the last 15 years. She suggested we get coffee and go for a walk. I expected an urban stroll but instead, she led me through the forested Corner Brook Stream Trails around Glynmill Pond.
The easy forested paths lead around the pond and nearby stream. With its central location, it was really cool to experience nature in the middle of a city.
Railway Society of Newfoundland Museum
While I was off hiking, my husband Greg spent some time in Corner Brook and discovered the Railway Society of Newfoundland Museum. It’s a collection of old locomotives and train cars. For a few dollars, you can go inside and look at the historic artifacts.
The railway played an important part in settling the province’s interior and my husband said it was pretty interesting. However, he might be a bit biased because he had just finished cycling most of the way across the province on the Newfoundland T’Railway, a trail that follows the path of the former railway.
Captain Cook Historic Site
Another place that Greg recommends (and that I missed out on) is the Captain Cook Historic Site at the top of Crow Hill. From the viewing platform, you can gaze down on Corner Brook and across to the Bay of Islands and the Blomidon Mountains.
There are also lots of info boards and a statue of Captain James Cook. Cook spent five years mapping the western coast of Newfoundland and nearby Labrador.
Marble Zip Tours
Marble Mountain Resort is just 10 minutes east of Corner Brook. In the winter, it’s the largest ski resort in Atlantic Canada. But it’s worth visiting in the summer too.
Marble Zip Tours has a huge zipline course with 9 lines that zigzag across a gorge. I was travelling with my friends Sue and Dave from Travel Tales of Life and they went ziplining on our final morning when I sadly had to go to the airport to catch an early flight. Sue said the ziplines were exhilarating and she loved the views of Steady Brook and the Humber Valley below her.
Man in the Mountain
Across the Humber Valley from Marble Mountain, you’ll find the Man in the Mountain. From the bottom, you can gaze up and spot the face in the rocks.
But if you follow the Humber Valley Trail to the top you’ll get an incredible view. It is one of Newfoundland’s best hikes. I didn’t have time to hike this trail, but I asked a few locals for hike recommendations and this one kept coming up.
ATVing
I was surprised to see ATVs rolling right through downtown Corner Brook past my hotel. My local friend explained that the city is very ATV-friendly and there are several designated ATV routes through the heart of the city that connect with trails.
After I had to go to the airport, my friend Jami from Adventure Awaits went on an ATV tour with Rugged Edge. She got to drive a side-by-side ATV right past the Corner Brook sign and explore some nearby trails including part of the Trans Canada Trail. When I asked her what the best part was she said: “Driving right up onto the steps of steps hall for an ‘Only in Corner Brook’ moment.”
Bay of Islands
Until my most recent visit to Newfoundland, I hadn’t heard of the Bay of Islands. It’s a long inlet with Corner Brook at its head. And it lives up to its name – there are a sprinkling of islands at its mouth.
The region used to be dotted with isolated, water-access-only fishing villages. Today, roads connect villages in the southern and eastern parts of the bay and the villages on the islands are abandoned.
It’s a strikingly beautiful place. The green flanks of the Long Range Mountains, Lewis Hills, Blomidon Mountains, and Blow Me Down Mountains rise up out of the ocean and the rugged coastline is riddled with caves and rocky clefts.
The entire region is part of the aspiring Cabox UNESCO Global Geopark. Named for the highest peak on the island of Newfoundland, the proposed geopark will recognize and protect the exceptional geology of the area. This region is sometimes called the Galapagos of plate tectonics since the rocks here confirmed the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s and 70s.
It’s worth driving Highway 450 from Corner Brook to Lark Harbour just to admire the views. You can also continue a few minutes further to the end of the pavement at the adorable tiny fishing village of Little Port. The trip takes about an hour.
The Saltbox
The Saltbox is a must-stop on any trip to the Bay of Islands. It’s a little restaurant with a great patio right on the bay in Benoit’s Cove. I had incredibly fresh mussels here as part of a boil-up dinner.
But there is another reason to visit – The Saltbox acts as a visitor info centre for the Cabox Geopark and the entire Bay of Islands region. The walls of the building are covered, inside and out, with maps, diagrams and photos about the local area.
I studied physical geography and geology as part of my undergraduate degree, so I loved looking at all the maps. In particular, the map showing how the Appalachian mountains of the eastern USA continue up into Newfoundland was particularly interesting.
Kayaking in the Bay of Islands
Before the roads were built, everyone travelled through the Bay of Islands by boat. Everoutdoor Adventures offers kayak rentals and tours out of their headquarters at The Saltbox in Benoit’s Cove.
I was too busy hiking, so I didn’t get to go out on the water. But I was travelling with my friend Mary Anne from the Let’s Take This Outside podcast and she opted to go on a kayaking tour.
She had a great time on her tour and said it “felt like a peaceful little escape… We kayaked along the southern shore up St. John’s Beach, soaking in the quiet nature. My guide Rob from Everoutdoor Adventures was incredibly knowledgeable on the history and wildlife.”
While I didn’t get to do a tour with Rob, I did chat with him that evening over dinner. Rob is one of the main drivers behind the Cabox Aspiring Geopark. His passion for his home ecosystem in Bay of Islands is contagious.
Bottle Cove and the South Head Lighthouse Trail
If you are looking for a spectacular hike, check out the Bottle Cove and South Head Lighthouse Trails near Lark Harbour in the Bay of Islands. Both are on my list of the best hikes in Newfoundland.
If you just want a short walk, wander through the trails at Bottle Cove. The paths lead down to the beach and through the forest to a viewpoint on a windy headland.
But I recommend continuing through the forest and up the hills on the South Head Lighthouse Trail. At the top, there are incredible views of the islands at the mouth of Bay of Islands.
Volunteers from Outer Bay of Islands Enhancement Committee have built and maintained several trails in the area including the Bottle Cove and South Head Lighthouse Trails. I met two volunteers fixing a small bridge on my hike. Please consider making a donation if you hike here.
Deer Lake
If you fly to Western Newfoundland, you’ll land at Deer Lake Regional Airport. The nearby town of Deer Lake is pretty small – it has about 5000 residents.
The town is named for the lake upon which it sits, which means it has a pretty good sandy beach. And while the water isn’t tropical, it’s much warmer than the Atlantic Ocean! My husband spent the afternoon at the beach while I was off hiking. He said it was windy, but the sand was soft and the water was fairly shallow.
Gros Morne National Park
The southern entrance to Gros Morne National Park is about 1 hour north of Corner Brook so I recommend visiting the park too. It’s huge with lots of hikes, historical sites, and viewpoints. For all of my recommendations, check out my guide to Gros Morne National Park.
Where to Eat in Corner Brook
Brewed Awakening: My friend took me to Brewed Awakening to pick up coffee and a snack to enjoy on our walk along the Corner Brook Stream Trails. She said it’s one of the best places to get coffee in town. She was right – my latte was great.
Best Coast Restaurant/Boomstick Brewing Co.: The Best Coast Restaurant and Boomstick Brewing share space at the Hew & Draw Hotel. It has a hip big-city vibe and a menu to match. I had a great eggs benny here on my last morning in Newfoundland. It was 8 am so I didn’t order beer, but they have some great-sounding microbrews on tap.
The Saltbox: Eat next to the water at The Saltbox in beautiful Benoit’s Cove in Bay of Islands. I had an incredible seafood boil-up here including mussels and moose tacos.
Sugar and Dice: My husband spent an afternoon working remotely at Sugar and Dice and said it had a great vibe. They serve breakfast, lunch, coffee, and treats. And they have a huge selection of board games you can play while you eat.
Where to Stay in Corner Brook
Hew and Draw Hotel: The Hew and Draw was by far the coolest hotel I stayed at in Newfoundland. It has a modern feel with high ceilings and lots of thoughtful touches like original art and wallpaper from local artists. Check rates.
Glynmill Inn: I walked past the Glynmill Inn on my stroll along the Corner Brook Stream Trails and it looked really cute. The historic Tudor-style building is a designed provincial heritage structure. Check rates.
Final Thoughts
I’ve been to Newfoundland twice now and I feel kind of stupid to have skipped Corner Brook on my first visit. I really fell in love with the Bay of Islands and would love to go back there to do some more hiking. Even though it’s a long, off-trail trek, I want to summit The Cabox – the highest mountain on the island.
I know I haven’t seen everything in the Corner Brook area… yet. If you’ve been, give me some more suggestions for things to do in the comments. Because I’m sure I’ll be back.
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